Tuesday, January 29, 2008

An interesting question. Here is a sampling of the positive experiences that I'll always keep close:

When I was out of college and searching for a job in Boston, an hour away from where I lived, I arranged three job interviews on one day. I was so impressed with myself that I navigated the commuter rail and T all by myself and wasn't late to a single meeting. I don't drive, so the idea that I could be free and moving by myself was incredibly liberating. It's a testament to my not letting my worries get the best of me.

When I first met Nate, I was a weird and quirky girl with strange orange hair cut short and bare feet; he was solid and sturdy and confident with a gorgeous smile and a firm handshake, dressed in khakis and a blue J. Crew t-shirt. And yet, seven hours later, there I was lying next to him in Bushnell Park, kissing him. Our meeting was absolutely electric, and I will never, ever forget meeting someone who was so honest and genuine and just accepted me instantly. (Sure, we had our bumps in the road, but who doesn't?) There's a magic in giving yourself completely to someone who loves you for everything you are.

My grandmother died on New Year's Day, 2003. She had pulled on for a long time with congestive heart failure, and I visited her several times in the hospital as she was dying. And through it all, she had an innate grace and composure. She was saying goodbye to all of us, and she was preparing herself for the end. When I think of her, sitting in bed, holding my hand, smiling gently, and saying with the slight Southern accent she had, "Goodbye, my darling." And she kissed me. She was an incredible presence, and I admire how she met death with an embrace instead of fear. I draw courage from the example set before me by my elders.

There are more, but this is enough for now. Please feel free to share your own defining moments in the comments.